Calls to the poison control center increase by double digits in South Carolina

Calls to the poison control center increase by double digits in South Carolina

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Updated: 7:57 PM EDT Apr 25, 2016

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WEBVTT WYFF NEWS 4 INVE NIGEL: WYFF NEWS 4 INVESTIGATES NEWS JUST OUT TODAY, ABOUT THE DANGERS OF LAUNDRY DETERGENT PODS. THERE HAS BEEN A DOUBLE-DIGIT INCREASE IN CALLS TO POISON CONTROL CENTERS. GABRIELLE: THREE YEARS AGO, WYFF NEWS 4 INVESTIGATES SHOWED YOU HOW OFTEN SMALL CHILDREN MISTAKE THESE BRIGHTLY COLORED PACKETS FOR CANDY. THREE OUT OF THE 4 CHILDREN WE ASKED COULD NOT TELL THE DIFFERENCE. TONIGHT, A NEW WARNING FOR PARENTS. >> I HEARD HER GAG, AND IT IMMEDIATELY CONNECTED THAT SHE BIT INTO THE POD. GABRIELLE: JILL KOZIOL WAS HORRIFIED WHEN HER 8-MONTH-OLD DAUGHTER, KATE, SWALLOWED SOME LAUNDRY DETERGENT. NOT JUST ANY SOAP, BUT THE KIND THAT COMES IN PODS OR PACKETS LIKE THIS. >> WE CALLED 911, AND IMMEDIATELY WENT TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM. GABRIELLE: DOCTORS HAD TO PUT A TUBE DOWN KATE'S THROAT. >> HOLDING HER HAND, IN HER SMALL, SEEMIGLY-LIFELESS BODY, IT WAS THE MOST HORRIFYING MOMENT OF MY LIFE. GABRIELLE: THEY'RE COLORFUL, AND LOOK LIKE CANDY, BUT THEY CAN KILL. ON AVERAGE, DETERGENT PODS SEND A AT LEAST ONE CHILD TO THE HOSPITAL EVERY DAY. >> WE'VE SEEN COMA, WE'VE SEEN SEIZURES, WE EVEN HAD TWO DEATHS. GABRIELLE: AND CALLS COMING INTO POISON CONTROL CENTERS NATIONWIDE ARE CLIMBING, BY 17% IN 2013 AND 2014, ACCORDING TO A NEW STUDY OUT TODAY. OF THE MORE THAN 62,000 CHILDREN WHO INGESTED LAUNDRY DETERGENT PODS IN 2013 AND 2014, DOCTORS FOUND 17 CASES OF COMA, SIX CASES OF RESPIRATORY ARREST, FOUR CASES OF FLUID IN THE LUNGS, AND TWO CASES OF CARDIAC ARREST. JUST LAST WEEK, PROCTOR AND GAMBLE RELEASED THIS YOUTUBE VIDEO. >> ALWAYS KEEP LAUNDRY PACKS AWAY FROM CHILDREN. GABRIELLE: SOME DOCTORS SAY A WARNING MIGHT NOT BE ENOUGH. >> WE STRONGLY RECOMMEND THAT PARENTS NOT USE LAUNDRY A DETERGENT PACKETS IF THEY HAVE A YOUNG CHILDREN IN THE HOME. THEY SHOULD USE TRADITIONAL LAUNDRY DETERGENT. NIGEL: SO HOW DOES SOUTH CAROLINA COMPARE? NOT VERY WELL. GABRIELLE: ACCORDING TO THE PALMETTO POISON CENTER, WHICH RECEIVES CALLS FROM AROUND THE STATE, THERE WERE 203 CALLS ABOUT A CHILD INGESTING A LAUNDRY DETERGENT POD IN 2014. THAT INCREASED 40%, TO 284 CALLS, IN 2015. THERE HAVE BEEN 59 CALLS SO FAR

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Laundry detergent pod poisonings continue to grow in South Carolina

Calls to the poison control center increase by double digits in South Carolina